Hyderabad: In a significant move that reflects the current state of the film industry in Telangana, the “Telangana State Single Theater Association” has decided to close single-screen theaters across the state for a period of ten days.
This decision comes in the wake of a prolonged box office slump, with no significant film releases drawing enough collections to cover the daily operational expenses of these theaters.
The closure is set to begin from Friday, May 17. Theaters are expected to resume normal operations on May 25th, with a lineup of new releases scheduled for the end of the month, including titles such as “Love Me,” “Gangs of Godavari,” “Harom Hara,” and “Satyabhama”.
According to a report in NewsTAP, the Secretary of the Telangana Exhibitors and Contractors Association said “Lack of content was the main reason for the single theatres deciding to declare a holiday.”
There are 250 single-screen theatres left in Telangana and around 80 in the twin cities.
This temporary shutdown during what is typically a profitable summer season for theaters highlights the challenges faced by the industry. The lack of major releases during the 2024 holiday season, coupled with those that did premiere failing to perform well, has led to this drastic measure.
The situation has been further made worse by external factors such as elections and the IPL, which have diverted the public’s attention away from cinema. The resulting reduced footfall in theaters has made it difficult for single-screen owners to sustain operations.
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